World War II Timeline- Japan & U.S.
September 18, 1931
Japan invades and seized Manchuria in northeastern China. Japan set up a state in there called Manchukuo.
July 7, 1937
Japan invades China and launches an all-out war against them. Japanese planes bombed major cities in China and thousands of people were killed.
September 1, 1939
World War II officially begins.
December 6, 1941
FDR authorizes the Manhattan Engineering District permission for creating an atomic bomb. It was later referred to as the ‘Manhattan Project’.
December 7, 1941
Japanese planes swept through the sky on Sunday morning and bombed Pearl Harbor where the American Pacific fleet was anchored. Japan sunk or seriously damaged 19 American ships, destroyed almost 200 planes, and killed about 2,400 people.
The Japanese troops landed and captured Philippines, French Indochina, and British Singapore.
December 8, 1941
The United States declared war on Japan, entering World War II.
December 8-23, 1941
Wake Island that is located between Midway and Guam, a 15-day battle broke out known as the Battle of Wake Island. As part of their opening moves to attack the U.S., Japan attempted to seize Wake Island. The U.S. Navy took defense and tried to fortify the island. In the end, Japan succeeded and seized Wake with 4 Japanese warships and 21 Japanese air crafts destroyed along with 820 people killed and about 300 wounded. The U.S. loss 12 air crafts, 119 people killed and 50 wounded.
February 27, 1942
At the Battle of the Java Sea, the Allies specifically the American, British, Dutch, and Australian (ABDA) intercepted Japan who was planning to seize eastern Java. A battle broke out between the ABDA and Japan. In the end, it was a victory for Japan; however, they lost 2 destroyers that were damaged. ABDA lost 2 light cruisers, 1 heavy cruiser, 3 destroyers and approximately 2,300 were killed.
April, 1942
The Philippines, French Indochina, and British Singapore are under Japanese occupation. Japan forced 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners to march 65 miles with barely any food or water during the Bataan Death March. Approximately 10,000 prisoners died during the march.
May, 1942
In the Coral Sea near Java, a U.S. naval task force met a Japanese fleet, a three-day battle known as the Battle of the Coral Sea broke out. However, the Japanese fleet turned back. The damage was all done by the airplanes from the carriers.
June, 1942
At the Battle of Midway, the United States Navy defeated Japan and won the battle. The U.S planes sank 4 of the Japanese aircraft carriers. The battle kept Japan from attacking Hawaii again.
August- November, 1942
The Battle of Guadalcanal lasted 6 months. At first the U.S. was targeting Guadalcanal which was currently being occupied by Japan. The U.S. landing in Guadalcanal was a success. Japan put efforts into recapturing the airfields. The U.S. knew about Japan's plans to recapture the island and sent troops to intercept them. In the end, the U.S. took victory when Japan abandoned to recapture the island.
May 5, 1943
Japan becomes the main target for any future atomic bomb. This was according to the Military Policy Committee of the Manhattan Project.
October, 1944
The Americans returned to the Philippines and through hard fought battles, the U.S. captured the islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa from Japan. This was known as island- hopping.
April 27, 1945
The target committee of the Manhattan project selects four possible cities as targets for the atomic bomb: Hiroshima, Kyoto, Kokura, and Niigata.
July, 1945
The Allied leaders Harry Truman, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill sent a warning to Japan to surrender or face “prompt and utter destruction”, after Truman received a message from the scientists who had successfully tested the atom bomb. Japan did not know what destruction would happen so they ignored the Potsdam Declaration.
August 6, 1945
The United States drops the first atomic bomb, “Little Boy” in Hiroshima, Japan. It killed 66,000 people and injured 69,000 people and destroyed most of the city.
August 9, 1945
The United States drops the second atomic bomb, “Fat Man” in Nagasaki, Japan. It was originally targeted to drop at Kokura but due to the weather, it moved the target at Nagasaki. It killed 39,000 people and injured 25,000 people.
August 14, 1945
The emperor of Japan announced that his nation will surrender.
September 2, 1945
Japan officially surrenders which formally ended World War II.
Japan invades and seized Manchuria in northeastern China. Japan set up a state in there called Manchukuo.
July 7, 1937
Japan invades China and launches an all-out war against them. Japanese planes bombed major cities in China and thousands of people were killed.
September 1, 1939
World War II officially begins.
December 6, 1941
FDR authorizes the Manhattan Engineering District permission for creating an atomic bomb. It was later referred to as the ‘Manhattan Project’.
December 7, 1941
Japanese planes swept through the sky on Sunday morning and bombed Pearl Harbor where the American Pacific fleet was anchored. Japan sunk or seriously damaged 19 American ships, destroyed almost 200 planes, and killed about 2,400 people.
The Japanese troops landed and captured Philippines, French Indochina, and British Singapore.
December 8, 1941
The United States declared war on Japan, entering World War II.
December 8-23, 1941
Wake Island that is located between Midway and Guam, a 15-day battle broke out known as the Battle of Wake Island. As part of their opening moves to attack the U.S., Japan attempted to seize Wake Island. The U.S. Navy took defense and tried to fortify the island. In the end, Japan succeeded and seized Wake with 4 Japanese warships and 21 Japanese air crafts destroyed along with 820 people killed and about 300 wounded. The U.S. loss 12 air crafts, 119 people killed and 50 wounded.
February 27, 1942
At the Battle of the Java Sea, the Allies specifically the American, British, Dutch, and Australian (ABDA) intercepted Japan who was planning to seize eastern Java. A battle broke out between the ABDA and Japan. In the end, it was a victory for Japan; however, they lost 2 destroyers that were damaged. ABDA lost 2 light cruisers, 1 heavy cruiser, 3 destroyers and approximately 2,300 were killed.
April, 1942
The Philippines, French Indochina, and British Singapore are under Japanese occupation. Japan forced 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners to march 65 miles with barely any food or water during the Bataan Death March. Approximately 10,000 prisoners died during the march.
May, 1942
In the Coral Sea near Java, a U.S. naval task force met a Japanese fleet, a three-day battle known as the Battle of the Coral Sea broke out. However, the Japanese fleet turned back. The damage was all done by the airplanes from the carriers.
June, 1942
At the Battle of Midway, the United States Navy defeated Japan and won the battle. The U.S planes sank 4 of the Japanese aircraft carriers. The battle kept Japan from attacking Hawaii again.
August- November, 1942
The Battle of Guadalcanal lasted 6 months. At first the U.S. was targeting Guadalcanal which was currently being occupied by Japan. The U.S. landing in Guadalcanal was a success. Japan put efforts into recapturing the airfields. The U.S. knew about Japan's plans to recapture the island and sent troops to intercept them. In the end, the U.S. took victory when Japan abandoned to recapture the island.
May 5, 1943
Japan becomes the main target for any future atomic bomb. This was according to the Military Policy Committee of the Manhattan Project.
October, 1944
The Americans returned to the Philippines and through hard fought battles, the U.S. captured the islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa from Japan. This was known as island- hopping.
April 27, 1945
The target committee of the Manhattan project selects four possible cities as targets for the atomic bomb: Hiroshima, Kyoto, Kokura, and Niigata.
July, 1945
The Allied leaders Harry Truman, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill sent a warning to Japan to surrender or face “prompt and utter destruction”, after Truman received a message from the scientists who had successfully tested the atom bomb. Japan did not know what destruction would happen so they ignored the Potsdam Declaration.
August 6, 1945
The United States drops the first atomic bomb, “Little Boy” in Hiroshima, Japan. It killed 66,000 people and injured 69,000 people and destroyed most of the city.
August 9, 1945
The United States drops the second atomic bomb, “Fat Man” in Nagasaki, Japan. It was originally targeted to drop at Kokura but due to the weather, it moved the target at Nagasaki. It killed 39,000 people and injured 25,000 people.
August 14, 1945
The emperor of Japan announced that his nation will surrender.
September 2, 1945
Japan officially surrenders which formally ended World War II.